Embrie at 4!

Embrie tunred 4 yrs. old in February. What a joy this little girl is!

she is my super sweet helper, is always the first one to lend a hand when I ask for help.

she has a tender heart.

but she is also a ham, very dramatic in a 'just for fun' silly sort of way.

Her favorite color is pink, and she LOVES animals, especially dogs. She is saving her money for a pet.

She is so loving to her family and quick to give hugs and kisses. She is becoming very independant, more outgoing, so smart. Growing right up!

Maren at 18 months old

I'm a little late in posting this as Maren will be 2 next month (and then I'll have more!).

In February Maren was 1 &1/2. Wow so much can happen in just 6 months for these little ones.

Maren was always a good mimmicker and talked really early so I don't know why it surprised us when at this age she was starting to talk in sentences and singing songs.  

She is not nearly as shy as her brother and sister have been at this age (and beyond). She may take a few minutes to warm up but is pretty easy going.

She is a total daddy's girl. Sometimes she won't even let me help her put her shoes on or hold her if he is around.

And funny enough she looks just like his baby pictures too! minus the girly stuff of course.

She loves her big brother and sister and follows them around all the time.  

I guess having two older siblings means that she will grow up faster in a sense than the other two did. She is picking everything up so quickly.

Her favortie song is "I Am a Child of God". She knows all of the words perfectly except for one ... instead of "parents kind and dear" she sings "Maren's kind and dear". Someday we'll have to break it to her, but for now we'll just let her stick with that. 

What a precious baby!

1 out 1 to go

Embrire's 1st year of preschool came to a close at the end of May.

She already missed her teacher as soon as we walked out the door, but we'll be back again in the fall!

She did such a good job on her program part (remember I already said she is getting to be less shy). 

secret cave

We took a little adventure on Memorial Day this year and found an easy hike area where there was supposed to be a hidden cave to explore.

First of all, we found it really wasn't much of a hike at all, which was sitll ok, and second it probably isn't much of a secret these days, but it wasn't too crowded either.

The kids thought it was great!

Maren decided there was no way we were going to talk her into going into the dark hole in the rocks, she stayed outside with the snacks.

We didn't go to far into the cave because it happened to be pretty wet the further in you went. And I had a hard time convincing Embrie that it would be ok to turn the flashlight off for a picture inside.  

The kids really wanted to hike and since it really wasn't much of a hike they took off up the steep mountain side. Brad told me this wouldn't be a good idea, but I thought it was totally fine. And then once we were half way up with Maren in tow, he pointed out that it is easier to go up than to go down....

oh... yeah that is true. I was carrying Maren in my arms and Embrie is only 4 so it was tricky to get down but we all lived to tell the tail, with no injuries. It was really pretty there though.

Garrett carried around with him a glass jar in his backpack because he was really wanting to catch a lizard. But thats another story for another time...

Break it Down!

Man I love this girl! This was her end of the year dance recital. She was so excited about it too.

 I was a little concerned that she'd get up there and glare at everyone instead of dance (this has happened in the past with other sport activities) but she is really growing up and starting to be less shy. She did a great job and looked adorable (or according to her she looks like cotton candy, that is what she thinks the costume looks like.)

got some treats from Grandpa and Grandma Callahan and something from the dance company too.

Grandma Sheri & Papa & GG took her (us) out to ice cream afterward to celebrate a job well done.

Meanwhile, back when it was Easter ...

 My mom gave Embrie a unique gift for Easter, which we forgot to open on Easter ... but anyway, It was an oyster with a pearl inside.

Embrie got to open the oyster herself and find the pearl inside, see what color it was and put it in a necklace. Kinda cute, she was pretty excited.

busy little bees

So I've been a little bit absent as a blogger, journal-er, family record keeper etc. I don't know what happened to my life since last summer .... ok well yes I do know what has happened but still it seemed like I was a lot more on top of things than I feel like I am now. Maybe its because I have more things to be on top of? or I am getting older and loosing brain cells? or I need to start taking my omega 3's ? or all of the above.
Not just blogging has slackened, but my workout schedule definitely took a little nose dive too (although there has been recent improvement!)

So last summer I found myself training for a half marathon that I was going to run in August. I hadn't run one since before being pregnant with Maren so I was ready to get back into it. Well between my kids doing summer sports and getting ready for Garrett to start 1st grade and planning Maren's 1st bday things got a little busy. The date for the 1/2 marathon wasn't going to fly with M's birthday so I decided to change that idea, I was struggling to keep up with the training schedule anyway. We have year round school so Garrett was getting ready to start that big mile stone of all day school in August, and I signed up to be the room mom for his class. Exciting!
By the end of August I was also planning a big extended family picture photo session and trying to get everyone on the same page for that. And getting ready for my annual Witches Tea which I was planning to write my own murder mystery dinner, so you know.. a little more involved than usual. Man, what was going on? I was just keeping myself really busy I guess.
Pretty soon I found myself sitting in the bishop's office one Sunday with Brad, thinking that Brad was getting a new calling, after all I had just received a new calling a couple of months previously as a RS instructor (intimidating calling btw). Not what I thought.  I was a bit surprised to be getting another calling so soon. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to hear. I kept thinking to myself ... ok I still think to myself, I am not "president material". No seriously. Do you know how many things I forget??? That I am not as organized as I should be, that I can become an anxiety mess? Not to mention that I am more imperfect than I care to admit.  So I am the Primary President now in my ward. (a more intimidating calling btw) All I can say is thank Heaven for my wonderful counselors and those who serve dilligently in their primary callings! I realize how much I have taken for granted. There are so many awesome people who serve and give and do it willingly. I am so thankful for my Lord and Savior! I haven't been alone. And I love these primary kids. All 230 of them. Yep its a lot. 135ish active primary kids and 70ish nursery kiddos. Adults are out numbered in my neighborhood. But I tell you these children are amazing. I have served in the primary and nursery a lot in the last 10 years and almost the whole time I've been in this ward (6 yrs). And I loved these kids before this calling, but I can definitly say that that love for them has grown. They are such sweet, smart,  spiritual giants. I wouldn't change a thing (unless it meant making myself more worthy to serve them).
This year Embrie has had preschool and dance, with some indoor soccer in the middle. Garrett has had 1st grade and 2 seasons of soccer, and Maren is keeping us on her toes the little smarty-pants. Brad is still working his hind end off and so am I. So to sum that up, we're doing good!
That was September. Here I am in June still struggling to keep up with my life ha ha! Oh well, aren't we all? I can't think of anyone else who isn't just as busy or more. So I don't know what my excuse is really for not blogging much, but I am planning to get caught up.  ;)